This invention relates to a processing method and apparatus for controlling a variety of connected devices, and to a method and apparatus for controlling network devices.
Local area networks (LANs) for interconnecting computers have come into wide use in recent years and can be constructed to interconnect the computers on the same floor of a building, throughout an entire building or among a group of buildings (compound), in a local region or over a wider area. Such networks can also be interconnected to form a network of global scale. There are cases where each LAN among the interconnected LANs lends itself to the interconnection of diverse items of hardware and possesses several network protocols. By contrast, a simple LAN detached from others allows individual users to manage the LAN. In other words, a user can exchange devices connected to the network, install software when necessary and diagnose problems.
If the user of a certain personal computer wishes to change the settings of a device such as a printer connected to the computer via the network, a setting sheet for setting the basic environment of the device is caused to be displayed on the personal computer monitor screen and the user makes the desired settings while observing the screen. Various radio buttons, check boxes and command boxes are displayed on the environment setting screen. The radio buttons and check boxes are capable of being displayed in three states, namely a state indicating that a setting has been completed, a state indicating that the setting has not yet been made, and a state indicating that the particular radio button or check box is not selectable.
However, other boxes such as combo boxes and list boxes are not capable of being displayed in these three states. Accordingly, there is need for display of an environment setting sheet that presents an improved user interface.